Commented On: Teaser video for 2010 Toyota Prius
Motor Authority
NoNameDenton,
The 30s mpg Prius' you refer to are either shill placed reviews, or rare cases of malfunction. Of course you can contrive some set of conditions where it will have lower mpg. Driving up Pikes peak might be an example (very cold, high altitude and steep). But that would drastically reduce the mileage of ANY car. I've rented Prius' and drove them in varied conditions for a total of around 700 miles. I got over 50 mpg overall average, and that was confirmed by fill-up measurements, not just the car's computer. I got 50 mpg with the a/c on in July. In any reasonable driving conditions, the Prius will deliver great mileage. I like the styling; the profile is very streamlined and futuristic. It has the lowest or near lowest drag coefficient of any production car. The Prius CVT transmission is a marvel- it's not the stupid and wear prone conical pulley and belt arrangement, as in Honda and others, but a tight knit planetary gear set-really ingenious. There is no meshing and unmeshing of gears. No torque converter. In fact the Prius trans-axle system is probably more reliable than any conventional transmission.
The 30s mpg Prius' you refer to are either shill placed reviews, or rare cases of malfunction. Of course you can contrive some set of conditions where it will have lower mpg. Driving up Pikes peak might be an example (very cold, high altitude and steep). But that would drastically reduce the mileage of ANY car. I've rented Prius' and drove them in varied conditions for a total of around 700 miles. I got over 50 mpg overall average, and that was confirmed by fill-up measurements, not just the car's computer. I got 50 mpg with the a/c on in July. In any reasonable driving conditions, the Prius will deliver great mileage. I like the styling; the profile is very streamlined and futuristic. It has the lowest or near lowest drag coefficient of any production car. The Prius CVT transmission is a marvel- it's not the stupid and wear prone conical pulley and belt arrangement, as in Honda and others, but a tight knit planetary gear set-really ingenious. There is no meshing and unmeshing of gears. No torque converter. In fact the Prius trans-axle system is probably more reliable than any conventional transmission.